Chair or seat.



H. W. MOORE. CHAIR 0R SEAT. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1909.

Patented Aug.30,1910.

STATES FATENT GFFICE.

HARRY W. MOORE, 0F ATCHISON, KANSAS.

CHAIR OB SEAT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, HARRY W. MOORE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Atchison, in the county of Atchison and State of Kansas,have invented a new and useful Chair or Seat, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to chairs of that general class shown anddescribed in United States Letters Patent, issued to me on the 21st dayof January, 1908, Number 877,216.

The object of the invention is to generally improve the construction ofthe chair by the provision of first a spring locking mechanism whichautomatically looks when the seat of the chair is lowered to operativeposition, second by the provision of springs seated on the pivotalconnections between the seat and chair legs and which operate to forcethe seat to its raised or folded position simultaneously with therelease of the spring locking mechanism, and third by the provision ofsprings seated on the pivotal connections between the intersecting legsof the chair and which operate to draw the legs together and cause thechair to collapse into a fiat compact form simultaneously with therelease of the spring locking mechanism.

IVith the above advantages and other objects in view, which will appearas the nature of the invention is better understood, my inventionembraces the novel details of construction and combination of partsillustrated in the accompanying drawing, shown in the followingspecification and set forth in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional viewof a chair constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of my improved chair shown in folded position. Fig. 3 is afront elevation of the chair in folded position. Fig.4 is an enlargedelevation of the lock and its lever, the adjoining portions of the chairbeing shown partly in section and partly in elevation.

In a more detailed description of my invention in which like charactersof referonce designate similar parts in the views shown, 1 designates apair of spaced uprights or standards having their lower ends providedwith laterally extending flanges 2 which rest upon the floor and aresecured thereto by screws or similar fastenings 3.

Pivotally mounted for vertical 'movement on the standards areintersecting legs 4 and 1 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application fi1ed September 10, 1909.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

Serial No. 517,043.

5. The pivot pins 6 of the legs are slidingly mounted in elongated slotsor recesses 7 formed in the standards so that when the legs are drawntogether, the pivot pins are free to slide upward in the slots and thuspermit a vertical movement of the legs. The inner ends of the pivot pinsare threaded for engagement with retaining nuts 8 which bear against theadjacent faces of the slots and support the legs in their elevatedposition when the chair is folded.

Seated on the shanks of the pivot pins between the intersecting legs arespiral springs 9, the terminals 10 of which extend along the opposedfaces of the intersecting legs 4 and 5 and exert an inward pressure onthe legs whereby to normally hold the same drawn together in theirelevated or released position. The terminals of each spring may besecured to the opposed faces of the intersecting'legs in any suitablemanner, the connections in this instance being shown by lugs 11projecting from the lateral faces of the legs and upon which the termi-'nals bear and freel slide when the legs are being raised or lowered. Inorder to permit the spring to work easily and freely, one or both of theintersecting legs may be undercut, as shown at 12.

Pivotally secured to the upper end of the legs 4 by a pivot pin orsimilar connector 13 is a seat 14, the free end of which normally restsupon the shoulders 15 formed in the opposite legs 5.

Seated upon the shank of each pivot pin 13 is a spiral spring 15, oneterminal of which extends along the lateral face of the seat andterminates in a loop 16 that loosely engages a lug 17 projectinglaterally from the face of the seat. The other terminal 18 of eachspring extends along the supporting leg 5 and bears upon the lug 11carried by said leg. The spring 15 exerts an upward pressure on the seat14 and operates to normally hold the seat in its raised or releasedposition.

Combined with the legs 5 and preferably formed integral therewith is aback 19 provided at its lower end with reduced extensions or lockinglugs 20 which engage seating recesses 21 formed in the adjacent portionsof the legs 4.

For locking the legs and seat in operative position a spring lockingmechanism is provided which will now be described.

Secured to the lower face of the trans verse back brace 22 is a springcatch 23 having a yielding tongue 24 for engagement with a keeper 25secured to the under surface of the seat. Pivoted at 26 on a standard 27suitably secured to the back brace 22 in a bellcrank lever 28, one endof which engages the stem 29 of the spring catch, and the other end ofwhich engages the terminal eye of a rod 30. The rod 30 extends upwardalong the rear face of the back of the chair and projects through theupper back brace 31, as shown, and terminates in a but-ton 32 whichprovides a convenient grip for the hand of the operator.

To move the seat to operative position, a downward pressure is exertedon said seat until the rear end bears upon the stop shoulder 15 when thespring catch will automatically engage the keeper and lock the parts inthis position. To release the parts from this locked position, it issimply necessary to exert a downward pressure on the button of the rodwhen the rod will depress the bellcrank lever and cause the yieldingtongue of the spring catch to be withdrawn from the keeper, the springsseated on the pivotal connections between the seat and forward legs 4immediately operating to raise the seat to its elevated or releasedposition and the springs seated on the pivotal connections of theintersecting legs operating to draw the legs together and raise the sameto elevated or released position simultaneously wit-h the folding up ofthe seat.

The chair is provided with suitable arm rails each preferably formed intwo sections 33 and 34, pivotally connected together by a hinged joint35, the free ends of one of the sections being swiveled in the seat andthe free end of the other section being swiveled on the back as shown.

A shelf or hinged leaf 36 is secured to the the upper back brace of thechair, as shown, in order that the chair may be converted into a schooldesk, if desired. The shelf is supported in operative position by ahinged brace 37 by means of which the leaf may be folded downwardagainst the back of the chair when desired.

Casters 38 are secured to the chair legs in any preferred manner andoperate to roll along the floor when the chair is being unfolded orfolded so as not to mar or scratch the varnish or finish of the floor.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, it is thought that the construction and operationof my invention will be easily understood without a more extendedexplanation, it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion and minor details of construction may be made withoutsacrificing any of the advantages or departing from the spirit of theinvention.

\Vhat is claimed is:

In combination, a folding chair having a pair of crossed legs, a tensiondevice adapted to normally hold the legs in folded position, a backsecured to one of the legs, aseat pivotally mounted upon the other ofthe legs, a tension device to normally hold the seat in folded position,a keeper secured to the seat, a catch secured to the back having aspring-pressed tongue engageable with said keeper for locking the seatand legs in operative position, a bell crank lever pivotally mountedupon said back and operating to release said catch from engagement withsaid keeper whereby to cause the simultaneous folding up of the legs andseat, and a rod slidably fitted to the chair back and extending upwardtherebeyond for actuating the lever.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY W. MOORE. itnesses B. I. HUDSON, E. SHIFFLETT.

